THE GOLDFISH AND ITS CULTURE. Iol 
stopping to make the vain attempt to remove something from their 
gills that annoys them. They are apparently coughing. Their 
appetite decreases. It is evident that the gills are out of order, 
they thus failing to take up oxygen for the blood. 
As the disease progresses the fish becomes lean, as seen back of 
the head, on the back, and the sinking in of the abdomen, causing 
the head to appear too large and out of proportion. The gills 
become agglutinated which results in the destruction of their 
structure by decay. Having arrived at this stage the fish is too weak 
to balance itself and swims head downward, finally standing on it, 
because it is the heaviest part of its body, and dies in that position. 
The duration of this disease varies in different individuals and 
seasons, it being of shorter duration during cold weather. 
The origin of this disease may be traced back to unnatural 
treatment while in captivity, as fish in native waters never get it, and 
in well managed aquaria they very seldom have it, while in those 
badly managed they frequently die of this disease. The cause of 
the disease arises from invisible organisms called ¢ubercular baccille, 
these being inhaled by a fish whose breathing apparatus is in the 
least out of order, infest these organs and destroy them. 
The disease proves fatal in all cases, or has invariably done so in 
the writer’s experience, who has so far failed to discover an effective 
remedy. The disease may be avoided by keeping the aquarium in 
perfect condition. 
SLIME OR ITCH. 
This disease generally appears during the colder season of the 
year, seldom manifesting itself when the weather is warm or hot. 
The body of the fish becomes coated with a layer of some whitish 
substance, the deposit beginning on the back near the head. 
This white, slimy substance, when examined under a powerful 
